Jobs Search

Nowadays, the most important weapon in order to get your dream job, is not your interview skills, but is your resume. Without a perfect resume, you can't even step into the interview room to show your interview skills to impress your potential employer. The job searching campaign is actually very alike to a marketing campaign, in which you yourself as the product you want to sell to your potential employer, which acts as the buyer. Your resume will act as the salesman, to promote you to your employer. In order to make your potential employer to "buy" you (hire you for the job post), you need to make sure that your salesman (resume) has promote you well by telling each and every skill and experience you have, which is relevant to the job post.

Below are a few points I like to highlight, which is very important in writing resume.

1) Support your skills and experience: It is very important that you can show how good you are in certain skills to your potential employer. Instead of having a long list of all your skill sets (programming, accounting, managing people etc.); try to connect them with your working experience and real life. Show them examples of how you are able to use the skills you mention in your previous working environment, and the outcome of it. Try to backup all the skills you have by such experience, to support your statement, and hence to make your employer know more about you and your experience.

2) Scattered the right keywords in resume: Nowadays due to the large numbers of resumes received for every single job posted, most companies will adopt to digital database in storing job candidates resume for searching and referencing. Before every resume was read, the database software will filter out unrealistic and unsuitable resume. If your resume doesn't contain any of those keywords, your resume won't even have a chance to get read, which means you are out before the game starts. Keywords of each job post normally can be found easily in the job description on every job post.

3) Order of your skills according to importance: Put the most important/relevant skills first, and remember to elaborate more on that particular skill in your resume. For example, if you are writing in for a software programmer job, do put your programming skills first and elaborate more on what type of programming language you know best, and list out all the application you have developed. This is because your employer only interested in are you capable to finish the task they assigned to you, and as a software developer you have to be familiar/expert in programming language.

4) Resume format and font: As normally resume doesn't exceed 2 pages, to include more skills and points some people tends to make their fonts smaller, to limit their resume into 2 pages. This will only makes your resume unreadable, and the only destination of your resume is in the dustbin. Your resume must be simple and straight forward, as HR will be spending 30 seconds to read through it. The best font size of resume will be 11 to 12; please do not use capital letters extensively.

Please to keep in mind that your resume is the only path to get a job interview and hence to get your dream job, please do pay effort in writing an attracting and interesting resume to catch the eye of your potential employer..For more information on how to write a perfect resume, please visit my website on the correct way of writing resume.

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The employment outlook for the nation's newspapers is becoming bleaker every day. Well respected icons like the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times owners have filed for bankruptcy, Gannett has undergone massive layoffs, and newspapers continue to lose ground in competing for advertising with television and especially the internet.

In discussions with my many media contacts, I advise them to be prepared for the worst and to be proactive while still working. If a reporter, writer or editor does end up getting laid off one of the most important assets they will want to use in finding a new job is their PR contacts. Yes, that's right; the same people who send you press releases may be able to assist you in finding new work or a freelance gig.

The publicists you deal with on a regular basis may be in the best position to help you, and will want to help you. As for new jobs, I don't have to tell you journalism jobs are scarce so don't rule out coming over to the "dark side" by becoming a publicist either... it's not all that bad! Keep an open mind for some free lance work, or even a career change to marketing, corporate communications or web content. In any job search, networking is probably the most important activity you can do.

Since the corporate office won't always telegraph pending layoff plans, one of the first things I would do is to be prepared for that possibility by gathering all my contact phone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses and save them to a disc or memory stick and take it home. If that's not possible send them out in an email to yourself at another address. Why be so paranoid? I've heard of cases where the boss announces the layoff, reporters are told to hand over their blackberries and cell phones on the spot and then they're locked out of the computer system with no time to get that info.

Then if that pink slip comes, you'll have the info and you'll be able to reach each and every contact. Let them know you are searching for a new job and share information about the job you are seeking. If you are emailing them send an updated resume. Don't be bashful to ask for help and to tell them you've been fired, laid off or whatever. Don't keep it a secret. There's no shame in losing a job these days especially under the crazy economic situation we're in now.

After the bad news is announced make sure you or your former boss puts an auto responder on your email so if and when people email you there's an automatic reply stating you're not there and so and so is replacing you or whatever and that you can be reached for personal matters at this number or email address.

Because I deal with media persons all the time, I often deal with reporters, editors, writers and photographers who lose their jobs. Often the media outlet keeps the email address alive for months and someone else answers the email. Some media outlets even keep the reporter's phone mail going and someone else checks it periodically. Not all layoffs are done in the bright light of the day and as a result we publicists don't always hear about it right away.

Over the years I've compiled some resources to assist those in our business that I am happy to provide to you now. It's the least I can do:

PR Newswire It's a great resource and the local office may know of a local company or PR firm looking for employees. The number is: 800- 697-9712 prnewswire.com

PRSA - Public Relations Society of America prsa.org They have a "Job Center" section that allows you to post your resume.

Society of Professional Journalists spj.org/jobbank.asp Check out their Job Bank for members only. It may be worth the annual dues. There are some free resources that may be useful as well.

journalismjobs.com The Journalism Jobs web site allows you to search for journalism and public relations jobs across the U.S.

workinpr.com is dedicated to providing global PR professionals with strategic career resources and industry information.

Elance.com A web site devoted to freelance designers, illustrators, writers, editors, and photographers. A great way to pick up freelance writing jobs.

Editor & Publisher editorandpublisher.com The latest job listings from Editor & Publisher magazine.

Newslink.org This site features a searchable list of all media outlets from newspapers and magazines to radio and TV all on a city by city or news affiliation basis.

Mediabistro mediabistro.com This is one of my favorite sites. It keeps tabs on everything going on in the media world. It has job opportunities in magazines, television, radio, newspapers, book publishing, online media, advertising, PR, and graphic design. I read it every day.

HARO helpareporter.com A free service for journalists looking for experts. Similar to ProfNet. I suggest you monitor the 3+ time a day feeds to see what is going on in the world and you may spot an opportunity. I devour each of those emails myself.

RTNDA rtnda.org The Radio-Television News Directors Association posts jobs for TV and radio folks and offers a wealth of resources for job seekers. Searching for jobs is free.

In today's job market it's critical for job seekers to use the internet as part of their overall strategy. Make a list of career boards and visit them daily to do job searches. Better yet, sign up for daily email alerts. Go to the websites of the companies you want to work for and find their job postings page. You can also track the companies you want to pursue by signing up for Google Alerts on certain topics you want to follow or for the names of companies you'd like to keep tabs on as well.

There are also several general job banks that you can use to find public relations positions when conducting electronic searches. You may be aware of many of them but some of the best are monster.com, flipdog.com, hotjobs.yahoo.com America's Job Bank at ajb.org and you can find salary and job demand information for public relations and other fields by using the Michigan Occupational Info System (MOIS) at mois.org. Two additional sites directed to communications related jobs are talentzoo.com and PRCrossing.com

Although the internet will be critical to your job search, don't fall into the trap of staying home and expecting the job to come to you by email. You still have to hit the streets and meet with people you know, and people who know people who know people who are hiring. In the end, it is networking and personal contacts that will land you a job.

A media person's job search is, in reality, a public relations and marketing campaign. Use all the writing and creative skills you have to write a pitch and job marketing letter. You have written many articles to convince readers to share your opinion or to take action. Use those same skills to convince someone to hire you. Just consider it the biggest pitch letter you'll ever write.

As a publicist I've seen first hand the problems facing this industry and I understand that it is very tough for professionals in the media to keep their jobs and to find new jobs when necessary. But there is hope, especially when you use the skills you have to get what you need the most - that next job! And when you get that new job, drop me a line.

One more thing. Not to be a smart aleck but the newspaper business is thriving in one part of the world and some Americans are getting hired. Where? India. Go figure.

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Most people would love to have their own money. This gives them a feeling of independence. Teenagers often feel this way, especially 17 year olds. They are always on the look-out for jobs for teens which they can do so that they don't have to ask money from their parents. It also makes them feel like they are adults.

The most common job for 17 year olds is the people behind the counters at department stores. The management of these establishments doesn't ask for resumes anymore. They are aware that this is the first jobs for teens. What they do require from their employee is good health. The teenager should pass the physical exam he or she must go through before his or her first day of employment. This makes sense because working at department stores entail interacting with people and the staff must be in good shape.

However, there are restrictions for some teens. Since they are off to college by next year, some of them prefer to concentrate on their academics. But the need for extra money is still there. If that is the case, then the jobs for teens who find themselves in this situation can opt for weekend jobs. There are retail stores that hire staff on weekends. They know that there is a demand for jobs for teens and they provide this for them.

Some 17 year olds provide services. If they can mow the lawn, then they do this for their neighbors. For girls, babysitting is the most popular option.

I would steer clear of any teen job that doesn't have a very flexible schedule. It's important you leave plenty of time for your work and studies.

There are dozens of options when it comes to the teen job market, but nearly all of them won't pay you more than minimum wage. That's what I like about paid survey filling, you decide how much you make, no one else.

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People always remember their firsts: first day in school, first day in college, first day in university, first job, first love, first kiss etc. For me it is my first job which is very memorable.

But before that some history about myself.
I came to USA for doing Ph.D in physics which I completed in 1993. After that I
worked as a post-doctoral research associate for two years in Norman, OK. But when
the funding ran out and it turned out I am not quite the Einstein I thought to be,
I was left with no choice but to find a job outside of academia.

Some people said with my background in physics and with Ph.D from a well known
university and also an MSc from one of I.I.T's in India, I can easily get a job
in industry in companies like Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Applied Materials etc.
However, my job search did not turn up any results in two months. Even though I
got some job in India, I was not willing to go back and wanted to explore further what uncle Sam might have in store for me.

But no job, no job. Then someone suggested I could look for job in the software
industry which was beginning to boom. I had done lot computing as part of my
research. So I thought it is not a bad idea. So I started applying to software
companies in the internet. But most companies kept rejecting by saying I don't
have any relevant experience. Some will talk to me for a few days and then eventually it will not go anywhere after that.

While I was doing that, I started learning about C programming language. Before
then I have done programming in Fortran language only. So I started learning about pointers, memory
allocation, etc. I also started learning about C++ which was gaining popularity at that
time. I kept on learning. Encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism. I
liked the idea of inheritance and polymorphism very much. While the university
had no funds to pay me anymore, I could still use their computing and other resources, e.g. phone, fax, internet etc. This turned
out to be a great service for me.

But I was still not having any luck in finding a job. Everybody said they need industry
experience which I lacked. Almost a whole month went by, and still no luck.

In fact, a time came when I gave the hope of getting a job and almost about to head back home. But before leaving I gave a call to one of companies I was dealing with. I had talked with them before. This time, the president of the company
himself took the call. When he learned about my story, he decided to give me a
chance. He offered me to come there and stay in their guest house and learn more
programming and they will look for projects for me. At that time, it sounded like a gift from heaven to me.

So I packed all my stuff, vacated my apartment, bid final good bye to the academic world and headed for New Jersey.

New Jersey

It was a small infotec company in New Jersey. They had a two bedroom apartment
which they used as their guest house.

They also urged me to learn visual C++ and I started learning it. However,
they had only one computer for use and sometime there will be competition over who will get to it first.

The company had probably 50-60 employees and most of them were at their client
site working on various assignments. There were only four people in the office.
In fact, most people were recruited over phone and never even came to the home
office.

They had rented a two bedroom apartment which they called the guest house. This
was going to my address for a while.

Life in the Guest House

At a times, their guest house really got crowded. People were coming from India.
Some got placed pretty much immediately but some had to wait a while.

Sometime the mood got very festive. People talking, joking, playing. One day,
someone was cooking while some other people having a hearty adda (chit chat). So
he also joined in the party. But he forgot to switch off the cooking burner.
He was having so much fun, he didn't realize the oil had gotten over heated
and started burning. It caught our attention only there were smoke all over the
living room. Immediately we ran to the kitchen and switched off the gas. But the
oil was still burning and so much smoke came out that it triggered the smoke
alarm. We quickly opened the windows and tried to fan the smoke out with some newspapers. At one point we were worried if police or fire brigade
will come and what they will think when they find so many foreigners in a single
apartment. So someone suggested most of us could hide in the bathroom. Then
someone pointed out the closet which was a walk-in close and could fit 5-6 people easily. But no police or fire brigade ever came and the smoke cleared in an hour.

In another day, someone put a hot cooking pot containing lentil right onto the carpet. No one seemed to notice what happened until we finished eating. The pot
has burned the carpet it was sitting on, we discovered when the pot was lifted.
Everybody was very nervous. Weeks later, it will a subject of obscene joke : an black round spot exactly in the middle of the apartment.

Also people will forget one or another sometime : may be switching off
light or the air conditioning, one someone even forgot to turn off the cooking gas, it kept burning the whole day. It was very fortunate that the whole apartment was not burned down. But every time the company president knew about
it, he would start yelling, and the blame game will start.

Hopeless quest for job

As I was learning visual C++, they would try sending my resume
for review to some companies. In all cases, it will be completely ignored. Sometime the marketing person will talk to someone mentioning my impressive educational
background. But only response he would get from the other end was in the form of
a question : how much industry experience does he have? Answer was, of course, ZERO! It was getting more and more frustrating.
In one instance, he almost yelled at them saying : 'he has written thousand lines of code'! To this day, the desparateness, frustration and poignance still
rings in my ear.

I was also getting sick of learning visual C++. I know I can write program that
can fetch data and display it on the screen, but what all is there to learn?
One can not memorize the whole windows api.

As I was learning visual C++ and sometime visual basic, I also had another task
to take care of. This was to drive people around. Even though most people
found jobs without too much effort, there were few who took some time. They
will have interviews here and there. Since they just came from India, they didn't know driving and my ability to drive a car came very handy to them. So
I would drive them to places. In one incident, I drove one guy to some place
in North Jersey and I got lost. Cell phone were available at that time, but almost no one
had them. I stopped at a lonely gas station and made a call. It was so lonely
and time was around 11 pm, I got really scared. In another instance, I was
supposed to bring back a guy from some town in philadelphia who got rolled off
from the project just after a week. This time also I got lost and found myself
driving on a very narrow road. There was no way to turn back. Finally I stopped
on the shoulder which was grass. There was a car coming from behind, so I waited
until it passed. But to my surprise, the car stopped just by my car. I was very
scared. But when the windows rolled down, I saw an old lady instead of a someone
pointing gun at me who asked if I was alright and needed any help. I was so
touched by this gesture. So I smiled and said no. I turned back and eventually
found the guy and headed back to the guest house.

The fight with Lawyer

The first thing they had do was to get an H1B approval for me. But
the lawyer was very much against me. One day the president of the company got
in phone with him and an entertaining conversation followed.

Lawyer: How can you be sure he can do this job?

President: I know his background, he can easily learn this.

Lawyer: Okay, but his degree is in physics it will be very difficult to get H1B
approval for him.

President: He has done lot of programming as part of this research, it should not be any problem.

Lawyer: Okay, but this is still a very complicated case and lot of extra work needs to done, it would cost XXXX dollars.

President: Oh my god! Etna mat bolo. Hamara seva karo. (Don't quote so much, serve me well).

Lawyer: No man, it can not be any lower than that.

President: Kar do bhaiya! Main to garib admi hun. (Please do it, we are too poor!)

Lawyer: I am giving you the lowest price! Others will charge you a whole lot. (Meaning he would suck the last drop of blood from you if he could.)

And the coversation continued for a while. It ended like this.

President: Okay, we will get all paperwork ready. Please start working on this
as soon as possible.

Lawyer: Don't worry. As long as it is in my hand everything will go smoothly (meaning he didn't have a clue what he was talking about).

Return to India

At some point, I decided to go home and stay there until get a project; the chance of
which was getting slimmer and slimmer each day. So I bought a one-way ticket to India and headed home. There was very good chance that I will not return back to USA. At home, my parent pestered me so much to get married.
So I decided to get married even though I did not have a job. This is partly
because I was not having much luck with girls. I did have chances though, but I
blew them all. But this is not relevant in the context of this story. May be later.

But right after getting married, guess what, phone started ringing from USA.
The infotec company has finally found someone who was interested in my resume
and an phone interview was scheduled quickly. The interview was not as great as
I thought! But one hour later, I got a call back saying I was selected for the
job. Take that! I got a job.

After that everything was arranged with lightening speed. The plane ticket was booked and
I headed back to US. But even this part was not without kinks. They booked a
ticket on Tower airlines! I was supposed to fly out of Mumbai. I was to collect
the ticket from the Tower office in Mumbai. When I tried to find their office
in the largest city of India, I had troubles. The taxi driver took me around the
city (probably twice) and when finally located the office, they said I simply
had to pick it up from their counter in the airport itself. Well the taxi raced
back to the airport and dropped me there. He demanded about thousand rupees (or
fifteen hundred, I don't remember today).
But everything went smoothly after that! In the airport in New York, two people
from the office came to meet me! It was so touching.

My professional career

In the first job, I performed really well. I guess having some good education really
makes a difference. After a few months, everyone was talking about my programming style as if I had been doing programming for years!

One year later, I decided to look for another job and I got one this time in the
company called Sabre group, a spin off company from the American Airlines.
This was a difficult decision to take, to quit the company which helped me land
my first job. But I thought I have served them enough even though I am pretty thankful for what they did for me.

In the second job also I did really well and although there were twists now and then, I was
employed long enough to get my green card.

In my first job I did mainly C programming, then move to C++ and java and then
J2EE. Ironically I never used visual C++ or visual basic.

At this place I also got to know about stock market. I saw lot of colleagues surfing
the finance sites (e.g. Yahoo finance) during office hours and also doing stock
trading in their brokerage account. I did not know anything about stock market
until that time. So I looked for some information and
decided to get in
this game: a decision I very soon learned to regret. Almost all my trades
ended up in loss! Those early days of investing is described in in my web site: http://www.stock-article.com/.

After a year
I had lost almost half of my money! But then came the internet bubble. I made good
money by trading first Ebay and then Amazon. I continued trading until March of
2000 when my account value was almost at stone's throw away from the million
dollar mark! But as the internet bubble burst, so did my account. It quickly
lost half of its value, and then three-fourth, and so on. But it didn't go down
to zero! In fact, I never held onto any stock for a long time. Even though some
stocks went to zero, my losses were limited. But I would try to recover the loss
from another stock which would also go down. And the losses added up. I guess
some people never learn. But slowly my trading activities stopped and I have to
be content with my account balance which is now only fraction its peak value.

On the job front, having spent almost decade in industry, I feel I am at the square one
again sometime. I find it difficult to find jobs. Probably I will not find any job at a
time when all jobs will be lost to outsourcing. But I will not go hungry, I have
enough to live in India happily. I also think of starting a company with my ideas. If some angel investor or venture capital will give some money, may be I
will do just that. I also write occasionally. Having written a few poems, short
stories and articles like this I sometime feel like writing a full length novel
and become a writer full time.
Who knows what I will be doing in future? But whatever I
end up doing, I will never forget the way I landed my first job and the chain
of events surrounding it and the few months I lived in the company apartment (the guest house). Hope you enjoyed reading it.

Copyright © 2005 Gautam Dev. All rights reserved

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Professional organizations focus on individual members with similar professional
Preparation and professional experience. Associations representing companies
a sector or with a common agenda.

Associations, professional associations and other organizations are important
Element in any direction, professional or managerial job search.

My Network

Association and websites are an excellent source of careerJob Search
network contacts. Many websites are the membership lists.
Often the national side have links or directories of local chapter
Locations and the target network can your efforts to geographical
Area. Most communities have a local Chamber of Commerce and usually printed
Member Directory as a service to members of the business with other members.

Almost every club has a meeting for local or regional
its membersNetwork building and skills training. The meetings are often
open to non-members and offers a good opportunity to learn more about a
Club first.

When you join a club, or choose to consider participation
Association Committees. Will give visibility to all
organization and the opportunity to demonstrate their know-how and
a good reputation. The program and membership committees offer
Yougood excuse to ask potential employers and get contact names.

Industry Research

A key element of your job search is to organize and prepare for interviews
Websites are an excellent source of information on industry trends and professional
Developments. Trade Association websites usually offer detailed information
on the sector, and its membership list containing the most important companies.

ProfessionalDevelopment

If you're looking to break into a new field or add new qualifications
Your resume is the club of courses on topics specific to your offer
Profession. Members often receive a discount, and offer additional courses
Resources to build your network with the faculty and students.

Many web sites contain lists of conferences and trade shows. Getting a
List of suppliers, presenters and sponsors of the conference to understandthe
Sector organizations. As a member you can choose to
get events or elements of program presentations
and a list of participants.

Jobs & Resume Database

Many associations have their tables on their work, where
Association can search for jobs that are targeted to members of
by other members, sponsors, or simply from employers who needsomeone with
Knowledge and skills that have members. Often this task
Comments are not widespread and the competition for positions
much lower than the advertised jobs on construction sites.

Many associations have their resume database where
Members can review resumes and advertise their availability. The number of
Incorporates a database of association is relatively small, and your resume a
excellent opportunities noticed by a potential employer.

Tips for your job search

Most online job seekers do not use or visit the association Web sites. The
Web sites are often difficult to find using traditional search engines and in the workplace
Candidates concentrate their efforts on commercial job boards. Since these
The sites are used under the most demanding manager, professional or executive> Jobs
The application will be fully taken into account by those resources. Use a club directory
research organizations and the organizations that might be useful in your
. Examine locate that material and resources available in each city for
immediate use or for the future.

In response to jobs of interest and resume database requires your
mainly due to lower competition factor. Do not forget to add yourAssociation
Investments on your resume. Association names or abbreviations
are frequently used keywords to search resume databases and professional attitude
look good to potential employers.

jobth snagajobs

Before you enter into the job search you need to clarify exactly what it is you are looking for and make a clear plan of action. To succeed, there are some fundamental techniques you can use to set you on the right path.

Think about what the employer is looking for in a potential employee and what you have to offer. What your talent is, and how it can be used by an employer is known as employment value. Do not expect employers to discover this value alone, know who you are and what you have to sell.

Resources - where to look

Review job leads: through newspapers, specialist journals, industry websites and recruitment agencies. Research and contact employers. Send out speculative CVs to specific companies you have interest in and target the particular individual who heads the department you would like to work for. Don't forget to explain in your cover letter or over the phone why you have pinpointed them.

Network. This is the act of contacting people who can assist in your search. Prepare your CV. It must be up to date, printed and in a ready to mail or present on demand format.

Traditional job hunting techniques

Although newspaper adverts represent only a small proportion of the job market it is one of the options you should be employing to strengthen your search. If you use the classifieds as a primary source of job leads you will consequently encounter a lot of competition. The most effective method is to utilise a combination of strategies focusing on both the hidden job market and the advertised job market.

Your recruitment consultant is a primary source of support. An agency is focused on achieving the right results for you, and has greater access to job openings. You can discuss job criteria with your consultant and they can offer advice on how to best progress your job search.

The non-traditional job search

To conduct an active search, tap into 'the hidden job market'. A recent survey discovered that three out of every five job-postings are not listed in newspapers or on electronic job boards. Network by attending local meetings, become active in professional organisations and community groups, speak with associates and acquaintances and ask people who and what they know. Register with appropriate mailing lists, newsgroups, and chat forums. A network of career contacts can provide support, information and job leads. Keep records to maintain effective links with the leads you have engaged, and be ready for the next move.

And finally, get organised and get committed. The biggest mistake most people make is finding excuses for not being proactive in their job search. Develop a daily plan and stick to it. When you are offered a position and you would like to accept, send a note/email to all the people who helped you, relaying the good news. This will ensure the continued growth of your career. By occasionally contacting these people you will remain open to opportunities.

job

Probably the most important thing to remember about a job interview is that once you get past Human Resources the people interviewing you are probably amateurs at interviewing. They are pros at whatever their major responsibility is but hiring new employees constitutes only about 2% - 5% of what they do. That means that if you are prepared you have a fairly good chance of subtly controlling the interview by the questions you ask and the way you structure your resume.

Here are some of the kinds of interviews you can expect to encounter. Each takes a slightly different type of preparation and tactics.

1. Standard Interview. This is the type of job interview which you probably expect. It's mostly a "getting to know you" walk through your background, perhaps by way of your resume. If you are actually in a face-to-face interview chances are better than 90% that they already know that you can do the job so this interview has as a primary goal to check out if the chemistry works. Can you fit in with the corporate culture? Are you the type of person who will fit well into our team?

2. Behavioral Interview. This type of interview is the exception to the amateur rule - most of the people conducting behavioral interviews have had specific training to do behavioral interviews. Frequently these interviews are conducted by 2 people with 1 asking the questions and 1 making notes on your answers and, possible, giving you a numerical score. For companies committed to behavioral interviewing, this is a hurdle you have to get over but it is seldom the only interview. You are more likely to encounter occasional behavioral questions in standard interviews.

3. Panel Interview. This type of interview may be conducted just because of scheduling efficiency but it more often has the purpose of observing how you interact with a group of co-workers (either the team you will be a part of or inter-departmental people you will be interacting with) or to observe your presentation style. In all cases, be sure to make eye contact with everyone and include as many of the panel as possible in your answer. And all of them get an individualized thank you note.

4. Sequential Panel Interview. This is when they sit you in a conference room and send in anywhere from 3 to 6 or 8 people in to interview you one at a time. There are 2 keys to this type of interview. The first is stamina - get plenty of rest the night before and don't plan on doing anything that night. And the second - if you use a success story with one person and the same story, from a different angle, is appropriate in talking to another person, tell the second person that you have already discussed this situation from a different angle and with whom so that, when they compare notes they won't be confused.

5. Technical Interview. Obviously this type of interview is a given if you are interviewing for a technical position. However, it may also happen to check out your professional acumen in any profession. This interview won't usually get you the job but it will definitely get you eliminated if you don't demonstrate the level of knowledge that the interviewer knows is necessary for the position.

6. Social Interview. This is an especially common type of interview for anyone in a business development or sales position. If you will be interacting with customers or prospects in public, your potential employer wants to know how you perform in a business social setting. Remember, this is still an interview and act accordingly. Don't order anything sloppy (this is not the time for spaghetti or steamed crabs) and be very aware of your table manners. If everyone at the table orders alcoholic drinks, join in, but just take token sips.

7. Approval Interview. This interview is just to check that the boss's boss doesn't take an instant and strong dislike to you. Here, even more than everywhere else, the important goal is to create chemistry, chemistry, chemistry. This person can say "yeah" or "nay" about your coming on board but is probably not very interested in details. Best way to handle this interview is to follow the interviewer's lead.

Regardless of the type of interview you encounter, the bottom line is chemistry. If they like you they will overlook all sorts of deficits but if they don't you could walk on water and they wouldn't care.

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Job search today revolves mostly around the mysterious use of keywords. Whether you are a candidate looking for a job or a company looking for candidates to fill in a job vacancy, the importance of keywords can not be ignored.

Let's take the first scenario. You are a job seeker in search of your ideal job. Chances are that you are using the internet to do so. Statistics reveal that nearly 90% of job seekers search for jobs online. Now, there are 2 basic ways of going about this - 1. You search for jobs online and apply 2. You upload your resume and the companies find you.

If you are looking for a job to suit you, it is important that you type in the right keywords for effective search. Keywords are basically nouns that describe the skills or job specifications and titles. They are usually industry buzzwords and jargons. Hence, when you are looking for a job in a particular field, ensure you know the buzzwords.

Most job search sites offer multiple search levels. They allow their visitors to search not only based on the skill set (although this is always the primary criteria) but also offer criteria such as location, years of experience, company, salary package etc. Use these parameters to filter the ideal job matching your needs.

If you are submitting your resume, ensure that it is 'keyword searchable'. Recruiters always search for the candidate's resume through keywords. They search the resume databases for various job vacancies using specific keywords. Does this mean that you need to customize your resume for each job? Ideally, yes. If your resume does not have the keywords thrown in enough number of times, chances are that they would not pop up when searched for, and hence, you would be filtered out.

But how does one know which keywords to incorporate? How do you know what words would the person at the other end be typing? Although there is no fool-proof way to get the exact keyword list, the answer usually lies in the employment ad itself! Scrutinize the advertisement and use the same words and jargon they have used. This is the safest and the most prudent way to ensure that you would not go wrong.

Once you know the keywords, the next crucial step is to integrate them effectively. It is a common belief that search engines go through the first 100 words of the document for keywords. But technology is developing fast and it is wise to throw in the keywords throughout your resume.

Ideally, load the first portion of your resume with the relevant keywords. You can call it your 'Profile' or 'Summary' or 'Introduction'. However, ensure that these keywords are also used wherever they can in the rest of the resume sections. This will ensure that you get searched as well as not appear as if you have put the keywords just for the heck of it. Also, remember that this online search engine is just the preliminary round. In later stages, there will be humans going through your resume in detail. You definitely don't want to get eliminated then! Another reason is that most search applications gives importance to Keyword Density, that is, how many times the keyword is used in the entire document.

Ideally, you should be creating customized resumes for each job you apply for. But this is not practically possible. Hence it is wise to have a basic skeleton of the resume, and tweak certain elements and words here and there to incorporate the required keywords to suit specific job vacancies.

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The job market this year is potentially worse than it has been in decades. People are lining up left and right at temporary agencies, unemployment offices, and any place that is holding open interviews or accepting applications just to get any job that they can. High level business employees are taking entry level retail and fast-food positions just to put food on the table for their families. It's a difficult market to be in when you don't have a job, to say the least. However, there are some small things that you can do to make your job search 2009 a little easier than it might be otherwise.

Start by looking at your skills. You are more capable than you realize if you put it all down on paper. Don't focus on the industry that you work in if you can't find jobs there. Look to other industries where your skills can be put to use and see how effective you can be in those jobs. Don't ever sell yourself short because there is something out there for everyone, and most career skill sets transcend multiple industries. You CAN find a job, even if it isn't the ideal job, as long as you know what you're capable of. Look online. Many companies hire people through internet applications and website ads these days. A lot of job seekers don't realize this and pass the internet by on their way to get the local paper.

Ultimately, to succeed in your job search 2009, you just need to do whatever it takes to make the most of your career hunt. You need to utilize all the resources out there, including temporary agencies, recruiters, and anything else that you can get your hands on. Visit a job search workshop at your local community college or Department of Job Services. Take the time to find resources that you have access to, and make them work for you. If you really want to succeed in your job hunt, you need to give it 110% because there are millions of other unemployed people out there looking for the same job as you.

When you apply for jobs, call back to check on your application or resume. See if they've taken the time to look over it, and be sure to ask if they've already made their decision so that you're not hanging on to false hope and slowing down your search. Do whatever it takes, because that's the only way that you're going to get a job in this slow economy. You might not find your dream job and you probably won't even find a job that you like all that well. Eventually, though, you will find one.

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Finding a job today when the world markets have suffered a really hard hit is not a painless proposition anymore. Most job seekers today are suffering due to the heavy recession and what seemed like excellent skills once have become rather commonplace due to the competition. Everybody wants an MBA, everyone wants to take that extra class to learn something new. The question is - what helps to get a job during these tough times?

Go in for telecommute jobs, because they are the ones that usually stick on during a recession. Hiring a full time employee for a company means they have to have infrastructure, have to pay employee benefits, allowances and a whole load of other expenditure which a company at the time of a recession may not be able to afford. So for a company to have someone work part time from home makes more sense. Therefore, taking a home based job may be your answers at least till things start looking up.

If you already have a job and are looking to quit for whatever reason - think twice. With the markets at where they are at, finding a job is going to be tough as hell. So if you are on the verge of leaving your job, weigh your options first. Only if you have a firm offer in hand from another company should you let go of your job.

When performing a job search, pick your company wisely. The company you want to work for now should be one that supplies necessities to people. No matter what happens people will not stop buying necessities. If you opt for a job with some luxury brand, there is a much higher chance of you getting laid off. People during recession don't want to waste too much money on luxury brands.

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Job searches are often difficult enough without throwing curveballs into the equation like age. But age is definitely a factor, even at the executive level where one would think that expertise would be valued over all else.

If you're over 50 and are running into problems being considered for positions at the executive level, you're not alone. The good news is that you don't have to fall victim to it. Instead, you can utilize some great tips to showcase your viability in your chosen industry.

Let Them Know You Know People

One great way to convince a hiring manager that you're the right person for the job is let him know that you know people. While there are some pretty impressive young overachievers out there who run to networking event after event to meet everyone in their industry, it's still difficult to build solid relationships in a short period of time.

This is where being you becomes a bonus. If you've been a heavy-hitter in your industry for 25-plus years, it's hard to match the number of solid business connections you have. You most likely have the "right" people on speed dial and can ask for a favor quicker than anyone else in your city. There's no doubt that connections like these are vital to your existence as an executive. So if you have them, flaunt them - you can bet your younger counterparts can't do the same.

No One Can Match Your Wisdom

Some employers like the idea of having a young face representing their company at the executive level, but could this young face have 25-plus years of wisdom under his belt? Likely not. In fact, it's possible that when you were first getting started in your industry, your younger counterparts were just starting kindergarten.

So yes, you have a lot of wisdom and leadership that simply can't be matched. You've encountered tough situations and have utilized superb problem-solving skills to get through them. In other words, you're not a spring chicken. You've been around the block a few times. If you make it to the interviewing stage - where you may suddenly be judged for your older appearance - this is the time to tell some stories of achievement no one's able to match.

Remember, You Can Make the Company Look Good

Another benefit of you being over 50 and having many years of experience is the credibility you offer the company. While the employer may be superficially looking for a young face, clients and potential partners will likely feel a great deal of comfort in knowing that the senior executive they're working with is not wet behind the ears. It doesn't hurt to humbly express this in your cover letter, as well as your interviews.

When you're approaching executive-level positions as an over-50 candidate, it's important to remember that confidence is key. If you walk into a situation feeling that you're over-the-hill, or simply aren't a viable candidate anymore, it will be hard for a prospective employer to disagree with you. So as you conduct your job search, never forget who you are: a top-level executive with enough connections, expertise and wisdom to blow those young whipper-snappers out of the water.

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Of all the social networking sites out there, the best one for finding employment, is LinkedIn. The premise for LinkedIn is to get in touch with your network of previous colleagues, classmates and friends. It takes a "six degrees of separation" approach and when you connect with your immediate network (first degree), you are also able to see to whom they are connected and so on up to three degrees. If you are interested in reaching out to one of your network's connections, you ask to be introduced. With over 37 million people already on LinkedIn, the network you may have access to is huge.

In addition to the paid job postings in which companies advertise on LinkedIn, Recruiters search LinkedIn for candidates for their positions. When you enter your profile information, it is like displaying your resume for the recruiters and hiring managers to find. You can also go one step further and ask previous colleagues to recommend you, which is where they write a paragraph or two endorsing you through their experience working with you. It's like having a reference letter for anyone to see!

So how do you get started on LinkedIn? Go to the LinkedIn website and go through the steps to sign up. When you are asked about your contact preferences, be sure to choose the category "career opportunity" so that recruiters and hiring managers feel comfortable contacting you regarding a job they may have.  Enter all of your information as if you were writing your resume, including key words, duties and accomplishments. You may even use your resume for this step. Once you are comfortable that you are appropriately represented, begin inviting people to connect to you. You will need their email addresses to do this step, unless they come up when you search on previous employers. In that case, if they've listed the same company, you will be given the opportunity to connect to them. You will see people responding to your invitations right away. 

Once you become connected, ask individuals to endorse you. Here is where they have the opportunity to describe their experience working with you. A good way to ask for this favor, is to write an endorsement for them first. Everyone likes to be able to show off positive words that others have to say about their efforts. And you can bet that any recruiters or hiring managers who view your profile will be looking for endorsements to get a pre-reference, if you will.

Consider updating your status to tell your network what you are looking for in your job search. Make it brief, such as "looking for a new opportunity in the Los Angeles area in Sales" or whatever your field is. This alerts people that you are actively looking - it's like having your own classified ad for hundreds, even thousands to see. 

Building your network is an on-going endeavor. You should continue to build it long after you get your next job, as it's good to keep your network fresh and active. You may wish to add people with whom you interview as you go through the job search process.

Utilizing LinkedIn for your job search is a great way to maximize your network to help you land that perfect job!

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A high nationwide unemployment figure means that jobseekers are flocking to Tarrant County, fueling its already double-digit growth. With a little persistence, the dedicated job seeker can find a high-paying job here with excellent benefits.

What to know about Tarrant County

This county in Texas is where the city of Fort Worth proudly calls home. Many people in the area work in Dallas, the nearest major metropolitan area. Politically, it's listed in the top 100 of most conservative-friendly counties in the nation. Despite its high population density, Tarrant county has low housing prices, due to a higher-than-average property tax. It has a shocking 100 year-long record of growth. Every decade since 1900 has seen double-digit population expansion. And as you may know, a growing economy is a wealthy economy.

How to find Jobs in Tarrant County

There are many popular job search sites available for general job search that you may or may not already be familiar with, like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. These sites are geared toward providing job listings, while sites like Resumebuilder.com are focused on the resume tailoring process. If you want to just search jobs in this area, however, you are well advised to use a site that lets you find just Tarrant County Jobs.

Cost of Living in Tarrant County

Although 98% of the county is zoned for high-density urban city, the Cost of Living Index is lower than the national average. The average being 100, Tarrant County gets 89.7. This is due to a lot of agricultural farmland within the surrounding counties, meaning low food transport costs; and the relatively low housing costs in the area. This is a promising statistic for the worker who wishes to build up a good nest egg for retirement.

Expected Pay in Tarrant County

The average household income here is over $48,000 - which is actually $5,000 higher than neighboring Dallas County - making it a better choice than Dallas for job seekers. The Healthcare sector has been growing quickly in recent years, spurred by an aging baby-boomer population, making Health Jobs some of the highest paying. Employment sectors are divided by these lines:

* Private wage or salary: 83%

* Government: 11%

* Self-employed, not incorporated: 6%

* Unpaid family work: 0%

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How can you manage your emotions during your career change or job search? To answer this practical and wise question, let's first define what emotions are. Emotions, also commonly referred to as feelings, are energy released in your body in response to perceived events, that is, to data received via your five senses.

To build your skill in managing your emotions during your current or next career transition:

1.) Practice Naming Your Emotions. There's great power in simply naming your emotions as you experience them. Check in with yourself several times a day and name your emotions in a journal or log. Learn to identify the nuances of difference between emotions that are similar. Choose carefully how you name what you're feeling: word choice creates reality!

2.) Allow Yourself to Feel What You Feel. Resisting emotions keeps you stuck in them. Why not do something radical like feeling them? Let the emotion wash over you and it will pass through you infinitely more gently. Feeling your feelings is always easier than resisting them, because emotions grow in proportion to our resistance to them.

3.) Express What You Feel. Unexpressed emotions are like poison trapped in the body. You don't really want to do that to yourself, do you? Let them out! The key here is safety and appropriateness. Find ways to express your emotions that are safe and mature for you and those around you.

4.) Act on Your Emotions. Again, safety and appropriateness are key. Emotions are messengers from your internal reality prompting you to take some action. Discover what each emotion wants you to do, then do it, safely. Don't delay, or your emotions will act on you.

5.) Journal. Journal thoughts, emotions, dreams and dialogues. Write letters you won't send. Mine your innards to find the truth within.

6.) Exercise. Physical activity is a great stress reducer and safe way to channel your emotions into action. Whether it's a walk or a swim, a bike ride or run, or aerobics or muscle building, it will help you constructively channel your stress into a healthy mind and body. Start slow; be consistent!

7.) Talk to a Safe Someone. Call a friend or family member; find a counselor; try a coach or spiritual director; meet with a priest, pastor or rabbi ... but call someone! You don't have to bear your burdens alone unless you choose to ... and why would you choose to?

8.) Use Art to Express Yourself. Paint your panic. Draw your dreams. Write poetry to express the inexpressible within you. Both verbal and nonverbal art forms can help you release what should not be trapped within you.

9.) Use Music to Match Your Mood. You can use music to match your mood and thereby express it, or you can use music to alter your mood when it's critical to do so. So, if you're down and need to pump it up, try some rousing rock or Latin music. If you're hyper and need to calm down and center, try baroque, New Age or soft jazz selections. Music can be a particularly powerful way to help yourself relax into sleep or get revved up for your day.

10.) Pray or Meditate Through Your Feelings. Both prayer and meditation are powerful ways to feel and express your emotions. Practice one or the other or both daily.

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If you're in the middle of an executive-level job search, you're probably hoping that you can get back in the workforce sooner than later. There's nothing like getting the level of responsibility, and financial rewards, you're accustomed to. However, if the job search is moving slowly, you may be trying to think of ways to enhance your search - one way is by volunteering.

It may seem like you're moving backwards if you consider volunteering while searching for a job. But, in many ways, it moves you forward even though it offers no pay. If you've been thinking of volunteering, but have been reluctant to do so, don't second guess your idea. It may pay off more than you think.

Why Volunteering Works

There are a number of reasons that volunteering works well when you're working on your executive-level job search. For one, it offers you the opportunity to pass time and remain active when you don't have the luxury of a 9 to 5 routine to keep you busy. Also, it allows you to develop your passions and make a difference in the lives of others. Essentially, volunteering is said to be good for the soul. But in the case of finding the job you want, volunteering is a way to develop great skills and make the necessary connections you need to acquire your next job.

That's right. Volunteering is a great way to help you get your foot in the door for another job. There are a couple of ways that this can happen for you. Non-profits are always looking for good executives to help take their company to the next level, so if you volunteer your time and make the right connections, you may find yourself being offered a position. Another way is to join a charity's board where you can meet important connections from other companies and organizations. By sharing your great ideas and helping to take the charity to the next level, someone may be impressed enough to offer you a position.

How to Make Volunteering Work for You

One of the best ways to take advantage of volunteering and its ability to help you secure a job is by getting involved in a cause that follows your passion. For instance, if you are an animal lover, you might volunteer in some capacity for your local zoo. Or if you enjoy the arts, then you might volunteer for a non-profit organization dedicated to music, art or dance.

You can approach an organization with the skills that you already have under your belt and offer to give them your professional assistance free of charge. After the word spreads of the charitable giving of your expertise, you may just make some great connections to get you hired at your next employer.

Every person in the middle of a job search knows how difficult it can be to find a job when he has plenty of time available, let alone find one when some of that job search time is compromised with other activities. But volunteering is different, it can leave you feeling rejuvenated after knowing you've made a difference in someone's life. So if you want to make the most of your job search, it's a good idea to add volunteering to your "to-do list."

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The job search secret that is so powerful it will blow your socks off is simple - if you think you want or need a Career Change all you have to do is understand this Job Search Secret:

It's simple - Change your Thinking.

When you're looking for the new job or career move it's easy to think that 'they' hold all the cards. But I want you to try and change the way you think about things. This one simple technique is the job search secret that will power you to truly deserved success.

Some examples of how you might change your thinking:

"They don't hire you for the sake of it; they hire you to help them make a profit!"

"OK you want a job but you've got something they want and after all, this is your career we're talking about."

So try this:

Instead of thinking they're in charge, why not try 'I'm in charge'

Instead of waiting to be chosen, work out what you want and go and present some proposals to companies you choose;

Instead of dreading interviews, think of them as your way of influencing key decision-makers;

Instead of daily scouring the adverts desperately, read them as detailed sources of inside information;

Instead of worrying about vacancies or job openings, think of them as needs waiting to be met or problems without a solution - yet;

Instead of thinking you have to accept their offered terms, know that you can negotiate;

Instead of them getting what they want, you both get what you want.

If you're now thinking "I can't do that" then stick with me and I'll show you you can, all you need to do is visit my website for clear, comprehensive guidance which is totally free.

This is the essence of my job search secret.

Start by valuing yourself, be proud of your achievements and your abilities; then don't lose any more time - use this career change information to build upon the job search secret and provide the answers. That's why I've written it so I hope you will make good use of it.

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A recent graduate can have a tough time finding their first job and getting their career on track.

When I finished university, I found it difficult to find my first job. Through university I'd worked in a factory so I didn't have any office experience that I could point to that would indicate to a potential employer that I could do everything I said I could do.

I kept thinking that even though I was a recent graduate with no relevant experience, if only I could somehow convince potential employers what I was capable of, I would prove my capabilities to them.

How can you convince an employer what you are capable of when you seem to have no experience?

In other words, how can you get experience when no one will give you any experience?

When you are a recent college graduate looking for your first job, it can be a difficult time to get your foot in the door. Here are some suggestions to get your job search rolling:

1. Start job searching early. Don't wait until one month before school ends to start your job search. When I was in university, some employers began interviewing and hiring right after the school year started. So some of my classmates who weren't graduating until April, had a job offer in hand before Christmas. No need to rush around looking for a job the next summer if you can get hired the previous year, right?

2. Ensure that your resume highlights any relevant skills that you honed during college and that you demonstrated during your time in school. Include evidence of presentation skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork skills and other relevant skills that most employers would find useful that people often leave out from their resume.

3. Look for networking opportunities that your college offers. Take advantage of all career fairs and campus visits by employers whether they are of interest to you or not. The college recruiters that are sent to your campus are often graduates of your school and might have some advice that helps you get your foot in the door with their company. At a minimum, employer campus visits are great networking opportunities.

4. Ensure you utilize at least several job search options and ensure you do each of them well. Other than attending career fairs as mentioned above, use other networking methods, search Internet job boards, search the career section on websites of companies you'd like to work for, search college job boards and contact employers directly that you'd like to work for regardless of whether they are advertising a suitable opening or not. At the beginning of your career, you really do need to get your name out there to a certain extent, especially if you have no relevant experience yet.

5. Consider working for free for a limited time. I've seen some recent graduates work for a company for a period of time (ie. 2-4 weeks) for free to prove to the company what they are capable of. The recent graduate offers their services to a company for free for a period of time if they can't convince the company of their skills up front. If you have the financial means to work and not get paid for perhaps one month, you might try this option.

When you are recent graduate, you might not get a lot of help from professional recruiters. As a recruiter, I find that companies tend to fill entry-level jobs themselves and don't always pay recruiters to find recent graduates like yourself.

Having said that, when I graduated from university, I managed to luck out by dropping into a recruiter's office unannounced and speaking with a recruiter who knew an employer who was looking for a recent graduate like myself. As a favor to the employer the recruiter passed my resume onto them. I got an entry level job with the company and worked there fulltime for 3 years.

If you are able to find a recruiter who is willing to help a recent graduate like yourself, it could be a great way to supplement your own job search if you have them keeping their eyes open for a suitable opening for you.

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The job search secret that is so powerful it Blow Your Socks is simple - if you think you want or need to change career, you must understand, this Job Search Secret:

It's simple - Change your thinking.

If you move looking for a new job or career, it is easy to believe that "they" hold all the cards. But I want you to try to change how you think about things. This simple technique is the taskSearch secret that will power you really deserved success.

Some examples of how you might change your thinking:

"You do not hire you for the rent for its own sake, but you help them to make a profit!"

"OK, you want a job, but you get everything you want and after, this is your career we are talking about."

So try this:

Instead of thinking they are responsible, why not try, "I am responsible"

Instead of waiting to be chosen, the workwhat you want and go and give you some suggestions to companies that you choose;

Instead of interviews was afraid to think of them as you to influence your way decision makers;

Instead of desperately daily cleaning of the advertisements, read as a detailed source of inside information;

Instead of thinking about job openings or vacancies, they imagine how it must wait, or met problems without a solution - not yet;

Instead of thinking you have to accept their offerConcepts, know that you negotiate;

Instead of getting them what they want, you both get what you want.

If you're thinking: "I can not," then stay with me and I'll show you everything you need to do is visit my website for a clear, comprehensive advice that is completely free.

This is the essence of my job search secret.

Start with the assessment of himself, proud of your achievements and your skills, then you lose no more time - Use thiscareer change secret information based on the job and provide the answers. So I wrote it so I can make good use of them hope.

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Now that the New Year is upon us, it's time make some choices regarding your executive job search that could help offer you a fresh start. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to evaluate your job search methods and to find ways to improve your chances of landing a dream position in 2010.

Reevaluate What You Want

As you're thinking about the executive career you're looking for, it's good to make sure you feel the same way that you did about your career track a few months ago. It's natural to evolve over time and have your career objectives evolve with you. So before you go with the "flow" you've created for yourself, take some time to make sure you're heading in the direction you want to move in at this point. You may realize that it's time to actually reevaluate your goals and begin searching for a career in a totally different industry.

Look for New Industry Trends

If you're sure that you're on the right track with the career you're pursuing, even at this stage in your career, it's good to keep searching for new trends to learn and understand. You may know a great deal about your industry, but without being entrenched in it regularly, it's hard to know everything that's going on. So in the New Year, it's a good idea to see what new trends are expected in your industry then take the necessary steps to prepare yourself for changes (i.e. take new classes, add new categories to your blog, etc.).

Build Your Online Professional Brand

If you have yet to expand on your online presence, it is more than important that you get started sooner than later, so why not do it for the New Year? Many employers recruit executive-level professionals they've found online, so it's important to build a brand in this area.

One fast and easy way to build an online presence is to create a free LinkedIn profile that allows you to list your employment history, education, and even garner recommendations. Also, you could create a free blog that allows you to give tips, advice and insight about your field.

Another great way to expand your online presence is to purchase a website domain in your name. This can be cheap--expect to pay as little as $10 per year, with additional costs of about $5 per month for hosting. On your website, you could create a simple page that lists your name, title, contact information and a link to your LinkedIn page/resume (don't forget to create a creative, yet professional design).

Review Your Resume

One of the most important ways to get a good start to your job search in 2010 is to review your resume. Add anything to your resume that might be significantly influential, including training courses, guest blogs, etc. Also, you want to check to grammar and spelling errors, as well as any cosmetic adjustments you might want to make to help improve its appearance. With every new year comes a breadth of new opportunities, and you'll certainly want to take advantage of these opportunities whenever and wherever possible. So as you prepare for a new year of job seeking, don't forget to refresh and rebuild for 2010.

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If you are currently looking for a job, you probably have some idea about the job you want. You may know something about how to get that job. You may even have some ideas about companies that might hire a person like you, with your skills and interests. Maybe you learned these things from friends and family members, in school or from previous job search experience, or from just living -- in other words, "common sense."

Sometimes, however, "common" sense is not always good sense. Unfortunately, many people learn career planning and job search skills the same way they learn about sex -- "on the street," from their peers, from experience, or from training in school, or from an all-too-brief conversation with a more experienced person. And how accurate was what you first learned about sex? Well, you get the point!

If you have spent any time looking for a job, you may be thinking, "There must be a better way." In fact, there are many "better ways," and it is up to you to find your better way. When it is all said and done, it is not what you know that matters. It is what you do with what you know that will get you from where you are to where you really want to be. Most successful job seekers do follow some common practices to progress in their careers. Discuss your goals and activities, ask questions and seek career counseling from a qualified career coach. Seek career training or join a job club if these options are available. Use this checklist to measure your progress.

World of Work: I understand the value of making wise career decisions. I am learning to expect change and prepare for it.

Expanding Knowledge of Myself: I have taken an inventory of my skills, interests, values, abilities and dreams. I have established a profile of my Skills Language, my situation and my concerns that are important to my career decision-making.

Expanding Knowledge of Job Options: I have identified possible occupational, educational and other developmental alternatives. I have compared the pros and cons of a variety of occupations and determined which ones are best for me. I have a focused employment objective.

Who is Hiring: I know how most people find jobs and use every source of job leads available to me. I have something valuable to contribute and am ready to go to work.

Networking & Direct Contact with Employers: I clearly explain my goals and skills to people I know. I follow up on all new contacts, so I will know more people. I contact employers that interest me, even if they have no job openings. Out of respect and gratitude, I write thank-you notes to each person who helps me along the way.

Marketing Myself on Paper and in Person: I make a good first, and lasting, impression. I use my Skills Language effectively in job applications, in my resume, in cover letters, during interviews and for other opportunities. I use the phone with confidence and briefly summarize my skills and goals. I am well prepared to find the job I want.

My Action Plan: I have made decisions about my goals that are both realistic and reflect the lifestyle I want to have. I mapped out plans to reach my goals. I am taking actions needed to reach my goals, such as enrolling in courses of study, acquiring additional work experience and news skills, networking and meeting with employers.

Repeating the Process: Career planning is never over. There is a great deal to learn from every job I hold: new skills, new ideas, new challenges, new opportunities that come my way and I create. I am reviewing my career action plan every year or two to determine if my work is still relevant or if my situation has changed. I am planning my next move. I am helping others by sharing what I am learning.

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If you have recently joined the ranks of the unemployed there are things you need to do right now to get through this difficult period. Since the job market is not improving and, in fact, is getting worse, the reality is that you may not find a job as quickly as you expect. There are certain things you can do right now that will best enable you to ride out this difficult employment market and keep you from spiraling into insolvency.

Job Search
You need to apply the Law of Averages in searching for a job in your field. I've written about the Law of Averages in previous blogs but let me summarize it here. The Law of Averages is a process of employing statistical probability to getting anything you want. In the case of a job search, the Law of Averages requires that you systematically (daily) send out customized resumes and cover letters to your list of prospective employers (which should be at least 500). You need to dedicate part of each and every day to sending out at least twenty resumes/cover letters either by hard copy or email. The Law of Averages guarantees that at some point you will receive a job offer. but you need to keep at it and never cease in applying this process every day.Until your ideal job offer comes through take any part-time or full-time job that comes along immediately. This is no time to allow your ego to have any say in the matter. Recognize that you may not find your ideal job for at least two years or more. Lastly, tell everyone one you know that you have lost your job. Begin an all-out networking campaign. Join Linked-in, set up a face book, begin meeting with placement agencies(permanent and temporary) right away.

Finances
Many who found themselves unemployed in 2007, 2008 or 2009 made the mistake of not curbing their expenses. Now is the time to create a monthly budget and identify expenses that can be reduced. As a general rule, you will need to reduce your discretionary expenses by at least 80% to survive what could be a long job search. Discretionary expenses include restaurants, bars, nightclubs, clothing, Starbucks, paying for lunch, vacations, entertainment of any sort, gambling, lottery, buying books, cds, on line music, gifts, hobby expenses etc.. Do not wait to do this. It should be done the day after you received your pink slip. You must now alter your mindset and shift to survival mode or face insolvency down the road. The next category of expenses are your monthly fixed expenses. Switch to basic cable today, Move to a lower cell phone plan. Reduce your thermostat down to 64. Trade in you new vehicles for used, cheaper vehicles that get better gas mileage. Obsess over every disbursement. contact your child's private school and inform them that you just lost your job. They may have needs-based assistance programs to help get you through your unemployment period. You main goals should be to save your home, feed yourselves and survive.

Every day you delay in taking the above survival steps is another day you move closer to insolvency and dependence upon relatives.this is no time to be optimistic about finding employment. This economic environment is the closest we have come to a depression since the Great Depression. And its not getting better. Think survival. Act now to insure your family's survival.

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Introduction

There is one thing you need to understand about getting a
job and that is, the simple fact that "Getting a job is a
full time job in itself". Read that again, I did not say it
is a part time job, I said that it is a full time job.

The fact that you are reading this page means you are
serious about your future, you are serious about finding a
job and you are obviously willing to put in the time and
effort that is needed to get that job.

To help you I am going to talk straight and tough when I
need to, just to make sure that you think about what you
have been doing and what you need to do next. Please
understand that I am not attacking you, I am not
criticising what you have been doing, I am just trying to
get you thinking about alternative methods and approaches
that might work for you.

End of contract

Firstly, your last term of employment was terminated,
either by you or by your employer.

During the first few weeks or unemployment, there is a
psychological change that occurs, there is an emotional
change that occurs. Now I am not going to launch into any
psycho babble about this, I just want you to recognize that
this is normal. You have to acclimatize to being out of
work, you have to put aside the feelings of helplessness,
remorse, anger and disbelief that are associated with
dealing with circumstances beyond your control.

If you have been out of work for more than six months you
may have slipped into blaming others for the situation you
are in. Understand, if you are out of work for more than
three months then your approach to getting a job needs
to change to cope with this small gap.

Yes I said small gap. It may seem enormous to you and
also to some of the employers you will meet. But in the
long run, your working career (45 - 50 years), 3 - 6
months is nothing.

Why does your approach need to change? If you observed a
friend doing the same thing day in day out, for months on
end and every day he got a negative result, no positive
indicators at all, wouldn't you tell your friend to try
something different?

You are where you are today because of the decisions you
made yesterday. Positive results come from good decisions.

It may be time to change your approach, time to move on,
time to make a fresh start.

Lets generate some positive results..

You may need to reword your covering letters, change your
resume slightly to make a more positive impact, you may
have to change the agencies you have been using etc.

Finding Vacancies

Just do a quick check on the list below, how many of the
following do you utilize to locate vacancies?

Local Newspaper

National Newspaper

Specialist Trade Publications

Local Government sponsored programs

Personal Contacts

Business Contacts

Speculative approach (explained later)

Phone Directory Business Directories

Local library

Internet Agencies

The list above is not a conclusive list of places to find
job leads, but it is the main core of commonly used
reference. If you are not using all of these sources of job
leads then you need to change what you are doing.

Let me highlight a few of the less obvious ones and explain
the approach: -

Personal Contacts Let your friends know that you are
actively seeking work, ask them to pass any job leads they
hear of to you with some urgency. In Britain, it is known
as the "old boy network" or just Networking and it works.

Business Contacts People you used to work with in
previous jobs, these people know you and hopefully respect
your professional approach to work, they are in a position
to use their contacts to help you.

Speculative approach This approach to finding work
is highly under rated. Imaging you are an employer, if you
have a job vacancy it can cost you thousands of pounds to
advertise, short list, interview and eventually employ the
right person. It is a process that may have to be repeated
several times before the employer finds a suitable
candidate for the post.

Now imagine that as an employer you have a vacancy and
someone has just sent you their resume, they might be exactly
what you are looking for and it cost you nothing to find
them! If as an employer you do not have a vacancy to fill,
you may keep the resume on file for two or three months, just
in case.

From your point of view sending a resume and covering
letter to an employer who may or may not be going through
this process is a way of tracking down job vacancies
without the competition.

See one of our other reports on the Speculative Approach.

Phone Book & Business Directories Listed in the phone
book are hundred of businesses that employ people just like
you, they have jobs that you are trained to do, they may
not have a vacancy at the moment but you can use the
speculative approach to contact them and find out.

Local Library If you can't afford to buy newspapers, or
if you don't have a local phone book or business directory
then use the local library, because they have them all
under one roof.

Agencies Many people use an agency to help them locate
work, but in fact you need to use several agencies. You use
them like this; get your name on the books of at least 5
agencies and then rotate chasing them.

See our report on Using Agencies for more information.

Attitude

Keep Focused it's a numbers game Getting quality job leads
is the first step in what can be a long process, follow the
steps one by one on a daily basis working at getting a job
and you will succeed.

If you are a sales person then you will understand what I
am about to tell you, if you have never worked in sales
then you may not, either way it does not change the
following fact: -

The more rejection you meet, the closer you will be to
success!

Or, if you prefer, the more no's you get the closer you are
to a yes.

The more jobs leads you can find, the more jobs you can
apply for. The more jobs you apply for, the more rejections
you will meet but the more interviews you will be offered.
The more interviews you are offered the better at interviews
you become and the more chance you have of getting a job.

The Numbers Game

True, the quality of your application makes a big
difference, but we are about to look at applications and
then quality and quantity will work together.

Now, I said earlier that getting a job is a job in itself,
if you treat it as a job then you should put at least 5
days a week into getting yourself a job. You should aim at
making ten job applications a day, that's 50 job
applications a week!

I know what you are thinking, how can I apply for 50 jobs a
week?

Lets break this down.

In my own personal experience I used to apply for 10 jobs
every day of the week. That's 70 jobs a week! I am
suggesting that should you only looked for work Monday to
Friday then you should look to make 10 applications a day.

Still too much?

OK, lets break this down further.

Using the advertised vacancies first, apply for as many as
you can find in the papers, trade publications, agencies
etc. You would usually expect to find two or three suitable
vacancies in this way.

Then chase the agencies, you should be looking for at least
one vacancy.

Then use the speculative approach in fill in the extra's.
Remember the speculative approach is a way of contacting
companies that employ people with your skills. This is one
of the biggest hidden job markets. More than 50% of the
thousands of people I have personally helped find new jobs
got them on the speculative approach. Don't ignore this
vacancy gold mine.

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Searching for employment can be a challenging and complicated process however with the assistance of modern technology, individuals are able to secure traditional employment while conducting a simple and quick job search. Those who have been searching for months end up with the question whether or not there is such a thing as a quick job search. The answer is twofold you can secure employment through however you run the risk of finding out that it was not the right job for you.

When searching for jobs, it is important that your searches are quick, in the respect that you do not spend eight hours of your day browsing the Internet. Perspective employers like to see those who are active, engaged with the community, and persistent. It is best to perform several quick searches throughout the day this allows your eyes to catch perspective employers.

A quick job search has the ability to provide you with employment, however with such a short search you risk taking a job based on urgency rather than waiting another week for the ideal job. There is no shame in waiting to respond to an offer, however be sure there is not a specific 'reply by date' in the letter. Although there are rare cases, you are less likely to land jobs that match your personality and talents on a quick job search.

A quick job search has the potential to match you with a potential employer if you use the right websites, services, and networks. The more specific you can be as per the job you desire will result in a quicker job search. This only applies to entry-level positions. Using an industry specific job search aide can help you weed through the irrelevant listings. Your search will move quicker if you choose specific keywords and avoid general phrases. For example, if you are looking for an office job, using the phrases "clerical" and "administrative" will return results that are conducive to an office environment.

A job search can be shortened if you make use of all available resources. While the Internet is a great place to begin, you should be pursuing other options. Look for employment in the classifieds of your local newspaper, posted throughout town, and via telephone hotlines. Major companies often provide a dedicated hotline that announces available positions.

Networking is one of the best ways to reduce your job search. Look at your contacts, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter friends. Examine where they work, and create a list of friends that work for companies relevant to your search. It takes seconds to send them a message asking if they know of any openings.

Is it realistic to find, pass an interview, and be hired after only a few days of searching? Not exactly, however you can implement a variety of solutions to speed up the job search process and find the job of your dreams. Finding a job that fits your lifestyle, interests, and skills can save you money and time down the road. Ensure that you are 100 percent compatible with any position you accept.

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Freshers have a lot of opportunities that can help them land their first job. They just have to be conversant with the entire process so that when they come across something of interest they can bag it immediately.

The first place they can start looking at is in university itself. Many universities have job fairs and other seminar like gatherings where students get a chance to meet people from companies who want to hire them. This is an excellent opportunity and a student should make the most of it. Students have a lot of options in front of them. They can take up summer internships and even part time jobs at places. If they are good enough, the company might invite them to join them on a full time basis once they finish their education.

There are tone of sites on the internet too which cater only to freshers. There are a lot of companies who want only freshers and are willing to train them to make sure that they are up to the mark. People who are looking for a job for the first time can put in their applications to such companies through these job portals.

Freshers cans also land jobs through job specific courses. There are many educational institutions who conduct vocational courses that are targeted to main stream job profiles. A job seeker can take such a course and work hard to shine out from his batch. These educational institutes have tie ups with some companies and these companies recruit directly from the institutes.

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As a long time recruiter, coach and teacher, I have seen many aspects of the Job Search process change over the years. And bar none, nothing has evolved more in your job search process than the art of good cover letter writing. Regardless of what you may been reading today or what other experts are saying, think of it as a process and you'll understand it very clearly:

The Job Search Process:

- I need a job or a better job & I need a company to notice me and for them to call me

Isn't that it in a nutshell? Nothing else matters! The process today is simply getting noticed enough to have a company go to the next stage.

- your cover letter = first level of interest, your resume = your obvious qualifications and your job interview = the final step, your hire ability!

The real you comes out in your cover letter, it's an introduction and in that simple introduction you have to make that Real You stand out. We already assume that your resume qualifies you, but with a better cover letter as your introduction, the rest just doesn't matter. If they don't get past the cover letter, your qualifications, as great as they may be, just won't get the recognition they deserve. That's as simple as I can put it.

Resumes need to be good, whether they are functional or chronological. But at the end of the day, they don't get tweaked too much. Altered slightly to best fit the job at hand yes, but that is still only a minor alteration. After all your resume is a blueprint at best, where you've been, what you've achieved, core competencies etc. There is only so much you can tweak in that area. But your cover letter now, is the real challenge. It needs to be altered for every possible career opportunity. Anything less is a template cover letter!

Your cover letter always need to be tweaked exactly right for every job you apply for. These days the template cover letter is absolutely dead. They will never stand out, as everyone else is sending exactly the same thing, that's what templates are, a sort of cookie cutter approach. And trust me, recruiters have seen thousands of letters, a stand out letter is rare and does just that, it really stands out when you write from the heart, a genuine, sincere and real person behind the word, gets noticed every time.

Remember the process. A recruiter reads your cover letter, when it's interesting enough, they want to read your resume, where you detail your already qualified status and thus an job interview is arranged. But that process is all about your cover letter first!

Think of it this way, from a recruiter's point of view. I receive 100 letters and resumes and all the resumes are about the same quality. How do I decide who to interview. Again, it'll always come back to that amazing cover letter, that real you, they read as your introduction. This is the area we struggle with, as we are actually selling ourselves in the cover letter, like it or not, that's exactly what you are doing. Selling and telling! The resume doesn't sell you, it's a blueprint, a static page of information. They have to get through the cover letter to get to the resume. So the bottom line is prepare your resume first, you'll need that as reference when writing a truly solid sales cover letter of introduction.

After your cover letter, the next obvious skill you really need to master is the art of the job interview itself. Again, that'll come down to being real and your ability to articulate and communicate well any of your skills, experiences etc. Most people dread the job interview and rightly so, one needs to properly prepare. But most people don't even get a job interview because they missed the single most important step, the cover letter.

Finally, as a teacher, I prefer a collaborative learning approach. That said, I'd like to ask you to join my email newsletter, as I want your feedback and advice. Can I count on your support?

To Your Job Search Success,

Mike Perras, P.Mgr

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